Monthly Archives: February 2014

NCPP staff Athila Lambino and Steering Committee member Mary Bier attended the National Leadership Forum at the beautiful Gaylord Convention Center & Resort, a few miles south of Washington DC. The 4-day event focused on “The Power of the Movement,” and included workshops, exhibitions, SAMHSA’s 10th Annual Prevention Day, Capitol Hill Day, National Youth Leadership Initiative (NYLI) events, and of course the Graduation ceremony for the 2013 National Coalition Academy cohort of coalitions.

Staff attended various events and networked with other prevention coalitions across the county. They reconnected with David Mineta, the former Deputy Director of Asian American Recovery Services and current Deputy Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s Office of Demand Reduction. Our NCPP ambassadors also participated in Capitol Hill day, where coalition members were shuttled to meet with their state and local representatives in their Washington DC offices. Athila and Mary met with Congresswoman Speier’s aide and explained the importance of the Drug-Free Communities Support Grant that NCPP currently receives, along with the current prevention and policy work in Responsible Beverage Service Training (RBST), Social Host Ordinance (SHO), and Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol (CMCA) happening in Daly City, Pacifica, and South San Francisco respectively. NCPP members also attended the exhibition hall events and networked with coalition reps across the country to learn more about their best practices for everything from running a healthy coalition to knowledge learned when conducting prevention efforts at community events that feature alcoholic beverages. They also witnessed a special guest appearance by popular R&B singer “Mario”, who came to speak to NYLI youth about his experience growing up while his mom was in the midst of heroin addiction, and how he started the Mario Do Right Foundation to help out youth who were experiencing similar problems.

The National Leadership Forum provided lots of information and inspiration for NCPP to continue moving forward as prevention innovators and advocates in Northern San Mateo County. Thank you to our National Coalition Academy instructors Dave Shavel and Teresa Bishop; our Coalition Academy classmates across the country; the NCPP Steering Committee; and CADCA, SAMHSA, and ONDCP for allowing us to participate in this amazing event!

Mario Barrett & the Mario Do Right Foundation

Mission Statement: The Mario Do Right Foundation is a non-profit youth development organization with emphasis on substance abuse prevention. The organization provides education, awareness and support to children of addicted parents (COAP).